Mmmmm...corn!

Vacation

With Day Care closed, Ryan and I took off of work to spend the week with Hunter and Mason.  It was lovely!
The kids and I went to visit Pop-pop & JoAnn, Calvin & Becky, and Faye & Jerry before Ryan returned from his business trip.  The kids enjoyed causing chaos at the farm and Hunter especially enjoyed the tractor ride, though he really wanted to drive.  Aunt Faye had a special gift for Hunter, a Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat quilt that she handmade to match his room decor.  She was thoughtful enough to include Memaw, too, by using some of her fabric in the making of the quilt - we feel very loved!  It is truly an amazing quilt, absolutely gorgeous and Hunter just adores it.  At night when I tuck him in and pull the quilt over him, he often says proudly "Aunt Faye make this for me."

Upon Ryan's return from California, we headed to Ocean City for some much needed Mom-mom and beach time.  The kids had a blast playing in the surf and her pool, as usual.  It was very relaxing and we really enjoyed the time away.  I celebrated my 34th Birthday while there too!  Mom-mom watched the kids that afternoon while Ryan and I enjoyed some quiet beach time (and boy was it quiet without the kiddos - I think we forgot what it feels like to not jump up to run after one of them every few minutes).  We returned to a delicious Pina Colada cake made and decorated by the kids!  It was great!
We ended the week back home.  Mimi and Opa kept the kids for a sleep over one evening while we got some much needed house chores and errands done!
Overall the week was a perfect mix of productive, relaxing and fun!

Happy Father's Day!

The kids and I worked hard to take these pics as a special gift to Ryan when he returned from his business trip on Father's Day!
We love you Daddy!

Our Music Lover

Hunter not only likes to sing along with songs on the radio or iPod, but he has started singing them on his own, too.  One of his favorites is "We Will Rock You" by Queen.


Of course, Hunter will tell you his favorite band is "Uncle Scott's band, Ballyhoo".  They were playing an outdoor gig in downtown Bel Air, so we decided to take the kids.  Hunter was pretty much in awe the entire time!

Beachin' It!

First summer trip to visit Mom-mom at the beach!  Kids had a blast at Assateague Beach...we couldn't keep Hunter out of the water.  The kid has NO FEAR - which, ironically, can be terribly frightening to the rest of us!

Family Pics

We had some professional photos taken on May 6th and just got them back!  LOVE!

Mason is 1 Year Old!!

It is hard to believe that Mason turned 1 year old on May 4th.  A common question around our house these days is "Where has the time gone?" Such is life with 2 VERY active toddlers! Mason transitioned from fast efficient crawling to fully walking between his 11 month and 12-month milestones.  In fact, within a week or so of having established his walking skills, Mason was found dribbling a soccer ball around the family room all on his own!!! He can also be found wrapping his arms around Hunter and tackling him to the ground on any given day.  He obviously has been paying close attention to games Hunter and Daddy play and wants to be in the mix.  Mason is growing at a rapid rate.  At his 1-year check-up he weighed in at 22 lbs 5 oz and was 30 inches tall.  He's also starting to navigate stairs.  Going up doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but getting down has its challenges as with most things he likes to dive right in head first.  We've been practicing though and he is starting to turn around and go down feet first on his belly.
Mason is eating very well - and is completely off the bottle now and taking all table food - often eating more that his big brother.  He likes just about everything so far, with the exception of fresh blueberries.
He continues to sleep about 11 hrs every night.  He soothes himself when he is sleepy by sucking his thumb which he has done pretty much since birth.  And, of course, he likes to have his favorite soft blankie too.
Mason is a very confident and vocal little man.  He is never ashamed of challenging Hunter for a toy and there is no question about what he wants.  He plays very independently, loves books, cars, and his soccer ball.  He and Hunter are getting along better by the day and often share food, drinks, hugs and kisses (toys are another matter though).  It is probably safe to say though that Mason's favorite person in the house is Jack the Cat (aka The Dude).  Every time he sees Jack he squeals and laughs and runs up to touch and pet him.  Honestly, we're pretty sure the neighbors 5 houses away know every time Mason sees Jack!!  He is a real joy to be around, is establishing his own personality, and still has an amazing smile with that one big dimple.  We're all looking forward to the next year in his development, which will probably go by in the blink of an eye.  Below are some pictures of his last month and the birthday party we had for him on May 6th.

Another Soccer Player

Baby Geese

The pond by our house always has a ton of geese and now there are little goslings.  The kids love taking walks down to the water to watch them.

Big Boy Undies!

Keep forgetting to post the very exciting news that Hunter is wearing big boy underwear.  Well he has been since about February.  He is still in training pull-ups at night and nap time, but rarely has any accidents!  In fact, he has been pulling up and down his pants and going potty all by himself lately.

We are very proud of our big boy!!